CalVet, Community Colleges Chancellor's Office announce agreement to ease transition for veterans to community colleges

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Secretary Peter J. Gravett announced the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) and the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office have signed a memorandum of understanding that will facilitate enrollment in a community college for members of the military exiting active duty. The California Community Colleges already enroll 75 percent of the veterans utilizing GI Bill education benefits in California. Under the new agreement, veterans will find it even easier to connect with a community college to begin their transition to civilian life and the state's workforce.

Under terms of the memorandum of understanding, CalVet will help veterans to streamline their community college application process by providing a direct link from calvet.ca.gov to CCCApply.org and icanaffordcollege.com websites.

"We're thrilled with Chancellor Scott's willingness to work so closely with CalVet on community college applications for our military and veterans," said Secretary Peter J. Gravett. "Returning veterans face so many challenges in their attempts to re-entercivilian life, it's wonderful to be able to simplify a process that might otherwise overwhelm a veteran and discourage them from pursuing their college education," he said.

CalVet also will inform veterans of their surrounding community colleges after they complete a reintegration form. CalVet will contact all veterans who complete the form and, based on their zip code, will inform them about their local community colleges, how to apply to those colleges and ways to use their Veterans Administration education benefits to pay for school. The service member, veteran or family member may also receive information on the many other federal, state, and local benefits, resources and services they may be eligible to receive.

The responsibilities of the Chancellor's Office detailed in the memorandum of understanding include providing CalVet with details on all 112 colleges and their respective regions, college contacts and student veteran websites. This way, service members, veterans and their family members may be referred directly to colleges by indicating an interest either on the reintegration form or via a myCalVet request.

"Our returning service members need access to the training offered at our colleges and this memo of understanding just reaffirms the commitment my office and CalVet have to these veterans to get them enrolled and working toward their educational goals," said Chancellor Scott. "Community colleges welcome the growing numbers of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and we are pleased to work closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help us provide the best possible service to them."

There is no fiscal impact with the memo of understanding between the California Community Colleges and CalVet.

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